Ex-soccer coach now facing drug charges

A former part-time soccer coach who was granted immunity in a Rochester jewelry robbery case is now facing drug charges in Macomb County.

Andrew J. Blasco of Birmingham is charged with delivery and manufacture of marijuana, a controlled substance, a 4-year felony. On Monday his arraignment was waived. Blasco pleaded not guilty and assigned a $10,000 bond. A pretrial is set before Macomb County Circuit Judge Richard Caretti on June 26.

Lt. Joe Quisenberry said Blasco came to the attention of officers from the Narcotics Enforcement Team, a multi-city drug task force.

“We believed he was involved in other activities,” Quisenberry said.

“We investigated and the result was a search warrant of a grow operation in a Macomb County commercial building which resulted in his prosecution in Macomb.”

Blasco was granted immunity in a Nov. 2 incident where police said a store clerk at Antiques by Pamela in Rochester was bound and held at gunpoint as three men, including Blasco, took a reported $360,000 in jewelry from the cases in the store.

The other men — Johnny Matthew Hall, 32, of Troy, and Kevin Andrew Papuga, 22, of White Lake Township — are charged with armed robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Both Papuga and Hall are scheduled for pretrial on July 18 before Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren. A trial date of Sept. 30 also has been scheduled for both men.

Papuga and Blasco, 44, had worked as soccer coaches with Vardar youth soccer. Blasco resigned from Vardar March 26 and Papuga resigned last November. Officials with Vardar have stated they knew nothing about the crime.

Papuga’s attorney, Jeffrey Clothier, has accused Blasco of being the “ringleader” of the incident.

Oakland County prosecutors said the case had hit a standstill and that they had no other option but to grant immunity in the case.